Vermont Youth Conservation Corps

The Vermont Youth Conservation Corps (VYCC) is a non-profit leadership, service, conservation, and education organization that believes in the values of personal responsibility, hard work, education, and respect for the environment. Through the performance of important conservation work, young people expand their job and leadership skills; develop personal values, ethics, and an awareness of social, political, and environmental issues.

Each year, the VYCC hires Corps Members ages 16-24 and Crew Leaders who work and learn together to complete high-priority and meaningful conservation projects such as state park management, trail maintenance, and backcountry construction. High expectations, hard work, and crew-oriented activities rich with educational experiences draw youth from a variety of backgrounds together to live, work, and grow as a tight-knit community.

Job Opportunities

VYCC2010—A Season with the VYCC
Seeking experienced leaders and enthusiastic corps members.
Crew Leaders | AmeriCorps Opportunities | Corps Members

Crew Leaders: Park, Wilderness, Roving, Leadership Development, LEAP, Forest Service, Community, and School Crews

VYCC Crew Leader Jobs

Leading a crew for the VYCC is an adventure unlike any you've ever had before! As part of the crew leading team, you will serve as a teacher, work supervisor, and a role model for your crew. You will be responsible for building a community, overseeing the health and safety of your crew, and teaching both life and job skills. You will also stretch your comfort zone and bask in the sweet rewards that follow.

Immerse yourself in the natural world.
Be challenged to learn new technical skills.
Develop and refine your leadership skills.
Laugh harder than ever before.
Feel the impact of your crew leading experience for years to come.

Learn More About Each Crew Leadership Type:

Park Crews (late April to late October)
The Park Program kicks off in late April with a paid residential training that will allow you to learn and cultivate skills in park management, youth development, environmental education and community building. After training, you will be living and working in one of Vermont's beautiful State Parks with a dynamic crew of AmeriCorps Corps Members. Throughout the late spring and summer, you and your crew will be responsible for managing every aspect of a park, including collecting park entrance and camping fees, visitor programming, public education, safety, and grounds and facilities maintenance.

Wilderness Crews (mid-May to late August)
The Wilderness Crew experience is an opportunity to connect deeply with the natural world, as the crew is immersed in the outdoors for four weeks at a time. These backcountry crews typically live, work, and learn in one location for the entire session. Wilderness Crew Leaders must have a strong desire and ability to educate Corps Members in basic backcountry living skills, and to foster a strong sense of community and environmental stewardship.

Roving Crews (mid-May to late August)
Roving Crews offer Corps Members the opportunity to travel throughout the state of Vermont while completing a variety of conservation projects including watershed restoration, trail building, historic preservation, and bridge construction. Roving Crew Leaders must train, manage, counsel, and educate the crew in both work and communal living in a back or front country setting.

Leadership Development Crews (mid-May to late August)
Leadership Development Crews offer a unique and exciting opportunity for individuals to refine their leadership skills. These crews are smaller in numbers, and are composed of older individuals who want to become stronger leaders. Leadership Development Crew Leaders are responsible for facilitating a rigorous curriculum while managing technical projects. In 2010, the VYCC will employ two Leadership Development Crews: one comprised of both males and females, and one comprised of all females.

Learn, Earn and Prosper (LEAP) (mid-May to late August)
LEAP is a program that provides an independent living and vocational training experience for youth with visual impairments. During the first four weeks the crew lives in an urban setting and works with a local organization 4 days a week and completes a service project on the 5th day. During the second session an inclusive crew of youth with and without visual impairments lives in VYCC lean-to's and works on conservation projects on VYCC property.

Forest Service Crews (late April to late-August)
Forest Service Crew Leaders will participate in multiple trainings by both VYCC and the U.S. Forest Service, including chainsaw certification, and technical project skills. The first three work weeks will be spent working with your co-leader on the trail and getting to know your area of the Green Mountain National Forest. Forest Service Crew leaders will run two summer sessions working on a variety of projects in the National Forest. The first will be five weeks and the second four. During the fall, leaders will transition into one last four week trail crew with the potential to lead, or work alongside peers.

Community Crews (mid-May to late August)
Community Crews offer Corps Members the opportunity to make a positive impact by completing projects in and around their hometown. Leaders live on their own (room and board are not provided), commute to their worksite during the week, and have nights and weekends free. They meet their crew each morning at their tool storage area and drive to the worksite in a VYCC van.

School Instructor (August through July: full year contract)
Every day, for 3-4 hours, you will serve as a school instructor, work supervisor, crew leader, and mentor to your students. Through projects, you will teach basic workplace skills of personal responsibility, being prepared, reaching goals, taking initiative, and testing leadership skills. The project-based learning curriculum that you create—independently and in a team environment—will cover academic content while being rooted in the land, traditions, and communities of Vermont.

2010 Crew Leader Dates

AmeriCorps Opportunities

AmeriCorps Job Opportunities

Food & Farm Program Internship (March 2010 to January 2011)
The AmeriCorps Food and Farm Program Intern position is a 10-month residential position that will provide you with the opportunity to gain firsthand knowledge about farming, Vermont's food system, and the link between food, education and community. Responsibilities consist of all aspects of the farm including soil health, greenhouse seedling production, field crop planting, irrigation, weeding, harvesting, delivering produce, building and repairing new farm infrastructure and raising livestock.

Park Educator (late April to late October)
Park Educators serve as an environmental educator/interpreter for visitors to Vermont State Parks. Park Educators are at the leading edge of the VYCC's goal to bring the message of conservation to the world around us. As leaders in promoting this message, it will be the Park Educator's job to identify creative and exciting ways to engage people from all walks of life throughout the summer park season.

Park Corps Member (mid-May to early September)
Serving as an AmeriCorps Corps Member for the VYCC's Park Program is an opportunity to gain firsthand experience in public lands management and environmental education. AC Corps Members work on a broad array of conservation and environmental education projects which range from tree plantings to teaching children how to hold frogs. The work is both challenging and rewarding with opportunities for growth.

Corps Members
1-5 month positions beginning in May, June, July or August

Corps Member Jobs

As a VYCC Corps Member, you need to be prepared to work hard and learn more than you could possibly imagine about your surroundings and yourself. Different crew types offer an array of challenges, responsibility, and commitment. Whatever crew you choose, you can be assured of meaningful projects, new friends, educational activities, and high-quality leaders.

A Day in the Life

Learn more about the VYCC field staff and corps member experience in their own words. Watch more videos »

Perks & Rewards

Great benefits working for the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps

Benefits of working for VYCC

Competitive wages

Benefits of working for VYCC

$1,000 scholarship available to all VYCC alumni accepted to Sterling College in Craftsbury Common, VT

Benefits of working for VYCC

AmeriCorps education award ranging from $1,250 to $4,725 (for qualifying positions)

Benefits of working for VYCC

Discounts at local businesses and pro-deal purchases

Benefits of working for VYCC

Exceptional work environment: live and work in the Green Mountains of Vermont!

The Essentials

VYCC is looking for you!

Crew Leader Minimum Requirements:

Minimum age of 22 years old

Background in education, parks and recreation management, environmental studies, or related field

Leadership experience with diverse groups of young people; outdoor leadership experience preferred

Ability to adapt and be flexible in a variety of situations

Strong work ethic and ability to work long days in challenging conditions

Maturity, optimism and a sense of humor

Red Cross Standard first aid/CPR or equivalent (Wilderness First Aid required for Wilderness Leaders; preferred for all)

Corps Member Requirements:

16—24 years of age (minimum age of 17 for Park Crews, 18 for Leadership Development Crews)

Strong desire to join the VYCC and work with others

Open to learning and receiving feedback

Positive attitude and strong work ethic

Ability to work long hours both indoors and outdoors and in all types of weather

Your First Move & Connections

VYCCThe VYCC fills positions on a rolling basis beginning in early January. Preference is given to early applicants. Apply now! Crew Leader applicants must submit a resume, cover letter, and at least 3 references along with their application.


The Vermont Youth Conservation Corps team

Vermont Youth Conservation Corps
The West Monitor Barn
1949 E. Main St.
Richmond, VT 05477

802.434.3969 ext. 200
802.434.3985 fax
info@vycc.org
www.vycc.org

View Facebook Page Follow on Twitter! View YouTube Page



View Larger Map

Navigation

The Vermont Youth Conservation Corps can be found in the Jobs in the Great Outdoors channel

Backdoorjobs.com: Your Home for Short-Term Job Adventures, Summer Jobs, Seasonal Work, Internships, Volunteering (and more!) in the U.S. & Abroad